...in the House

This afternoon, as I put some papers in our burn pile next to fireplace, I heard a sound. Looking over at the closed doors to the fireplace, I couldn't help feeling that the sound came from inside. Then I heard it again, a shuffle perhaps a scuffle? Was it a mouse in the house...ick! I really didn't want to deal with that. But then I didn't hear anything else so I begin to think I just moved the stack when dropping the last papers on top and heard it shifting. I walked away, turned on the tv and went to the fridge for a popsicle when a distinctive fluttering came from behind the fireplace doors...a bird in the house. How did it get down there...

We opened the patio door, while closing all other doors then opened the doors to the fireplace. Hoping the bird would fly outside but realizing that more than likely it'd circle bumping into our mirrors and windows before getting out. There, in the dark, covered in ash quaked a frightened black bird of good size. I don't know what we expected, perhaps a small starling or little sparrow but I wasn't expecting, certainly not this small crow? We stood back giving it room, the bird then took a couple of deep breaths before flying straight up and over our privacy screen and out the patio door to freedom.




A nice little read...
A BIRD IN THE HOUSE
By Margaret Laurence
1963

Truth nestles in the heart at first. It wants to live there but soon starves for lack of nourishment. Often, Truth is too soon pushed aside for, Lies, who settles easily into the space so lately occupied by Truth. Lies, feeds on a different fare than Truth and feeds well. Lies is like a cancerous tumour, growing bigger and bigger...wider, sapping the strength...

..until the heart stops.